The Icing on the Cake
by waterlilylf
Summary: Heero and Trowa each discover that the Icing on the Cake of life is finding their perfect match. Chapter 2. Yaoi..
1. Chapter 1

Note: Thanks, as ever, to Kaeru Shisho for editing, and liking the dream….

**Chapter one: On his birthday, a disillusioned Heero makes a wish to meet the man of his dreams, and gets a gorgeous car thief instead.**

_Is this all there is?_

Heero accepted yet another business card, forcing himself to look pleasant. Or at least less than murderous. The little square of cardboard, like all the others in his wallet, would go straight into the recycling bin when he got home, but his friends had gone to a great deal of trouble to arrange the party, and the least he could do in return was try.

The man who'd given him the card gave him an admiring glance before turning away and heading for the bar.

How very unromantic. In Heero's imagination, a chance meeting with an attractive man in a club should maybe lead to a phone number scribbled on a cocktail napkin, or the back of one hand, or called out of the window of a taxi as it drove away. The men in this nightclub handed out business cards and propositions.

He just wanted to go home. His own home. Alone.

Instead, he took up a vantage position in the gallery overlooking the dance floor, scanning the room for his friends. He couldn't see Wufei or Zechs, but Quatre, as usual, was surrounded by a crowd of admirers.

He knew most of the guests present, if only vaguely. There was a few colleagues from the magazine where he worked, co-workers of Wufei's from the university, staff and regulars from Zechs' restaurant, and a host of Quatre's friends.

He'd met most of them before, usually at parties his friends had organised, and they'd been pleasant enough, sometimes asking him about computer problems. Tonight was different. Quatre hadn't just hired the VIP lounge of Sanq's most popular gay club to celebrate Heero's birthday. It was also a coming out party of sorts.

It meant everything was different.

'Are you having fun?' Summoned by a thought, Quatre was suddenly at his elbow. The champagne glass in his friend's hand was half-empty and he was a little more flushed than usual. 'Every time I look at you, you've got someone new chatting you up.'

Heero shrugged. 'Honestly, I can't even remember any of their names. And they all talked about the exact same things.'

It was true. For some reason, everyone he met had seemed impelled to reel off their life stories, as if they were attending job interviews; education at a fashionable private school and then a prestigious university; the obligatory year off to travel along with the equally obligatory stint of charity work in some developing country, and then a highly-paid job in law or finance or marketing.

Quatre smiled at him. 'That's how most people start conversations, you know. Sharing information about themselves. It's wonderful that you've decided you want to find someone, but you can't really expect to find your soul-mate straightaway.'

'I suppose,' Heero muttered. His friend was perfectly right, but surely he could find someone vaguely interesting – and interested in him in return. 'I just want a little more than all this superficial chatter and offers of sex. Does that even exist?'

Quatre nodded, gazing down at the dance floor.

Heero followed his gaze. Zechs and Wufei were dancing in a corner, swaying slowly together.

'I want that. I want to find the one perfect person.'

'So do I,' Quatre agreed, very low.

Heero lifted an eyebrow at him. 'Really? I thought you were enjoying the search.' Quatre always joked that he was looking for Mr. Right, but was in no particular hurry actually to find him.

'I met someone.'

'What? You never said anything.' That, in itself, was miraculous. Quatre normally called his friends if an attractive man smiled at him on the train. 'Is he here?'

'No. It's not like that. I don't even know who he is, really.' The blond took a slug of his drink, emptying the glass. 'Do you remember a couple of weeks ago the two of us were meant to take the bikes up to Lake Victoria? But you had to finish an article and had to cancel?'

'Yes, but you went by yourself. Ah. That's when you met him?' Heero guessed.

'Yes. I was coming down that steep trail to the lake, and I was listening to my iPod and not really paying attention to the ground, and the wheel caught on a branch or something. I came off and whacked my head on a rock. Anyway, this man cleaned out the cut, and gave me some water, and we just sat and talked. Like friends.'

'And?' Heero prompted.

'And then a girl came up and said she needed help with moving some logs and he left.' The blond shrugged. 'That's it.'

'No, it's not. Why don't you call the Parks Service and find out who he is?'

'Oh, I did. I called the Visitor Centre on Monday and said I wanted to thank one of their employees and they said they hadn't had anyone working in that part of the trail at the weekend, but there was a team of volunteers cleaning up the boardwalk.'

'And there isn't a list of volunteers?'

Quatre shook his head sadly. 'No. It was just members of the public who turned up to help. And I don't even know his name anyway. I can't exactly go around asking everyone in Sanque if they know a tall man with amazing green eyes.'

'I'm sorry,' Heero offered. 'You know, you could just ask when the next volunteer day is and turn up.'

Quatre shrugged. 'I did think about that, but the park is enormous, and there's no way of knowing whereabouts he'd be, or even if he'd be there at all.'

'I can come with you if you like.'

'Thank you. I'll think about it. He's probably straight or something but maybe…Oh it doesn't matter.' He looked down at the empty glass in his hand. 'I'm getting another drink. See you in a minute.'

It obviously did matter. For one thing, Quatre rarely drank at all. Still, at least he'd had those few moments.

Heero, on a purely intellectual level, knew he was gay. He wasn't interested in women; he liked the aesthetics of the male body; he knew that if he ever met his life's companion, that person would be a man. He'd just never met anyone he'd wanted to spend his life with.

He even knew what he wanted in a boyfriend. He'd had years to think about, and he'd watched two of his best friends fall in love.

He wanted someone intelligent and inquisitive and interested in the world around them, rather than the extravagantly educated men he'd met tonight who weren't really concerned with anything outside their own little privileged existences.

Someone with a sense of humour. Heero wasn't the wittiest man on the planet, but he had his own quirky way of looking at things, and wanted someone who would understand that; someone who could catch his eye and make him laugh at a shared joke that no one else would get.

He didn't want a social butterfly, always fluttering about looking for someone who was more interesting or attractive or wealthy, but someone like Heero himself, who had a small, closely-knit group of friends and valued them highly.

Of course, the absolute icing on the cake would be to find someone who liked _his_ friends, and who maybe shared a few of his interests.

Such a paragon was unlikely to exist, outside of his imagination. And if he did, there was no possible way he'd be single.

It was still tempting to fantasise.

Heero hoped he wasn't shallow, and obviously personality was far more important than physical appearance, but on the other hand, he would want to find his future partner attractive.

He didn't think he had a definite 'type' as Quatre called it, but he knew he liked long hair, and had had a few guilty dreams about the shining glory of Zechs' blond mane. He liked the way Wufei's eyes lit up when his partner came into a room, and the way Quatre smiled.

Such a shame that he and Quatre didn't feel that way about each other. Quatre was attractive, charming, wonderful company and the most generous person Heero had ever met.

He'd probably spent days arranging this party, even ordering the cake specially. Heero's second passion, after computers, was cars, so it was a chocolate cake in the shape of a race track, with little model cars on top. He'd blown out the candles earlier, feeling rather an idiot in front of everyone, and made a wish, just as Quatre had told him to.

Heero took a deep breath. After all Quatre had done, Heero owed it to him to at least try to enjoy himself. He would fortify himself with another glass of champagne, and a slice of cake and then force himself to mingle.

The most beautiful man he'd ever seen was stealing the decorations off his birthday cake.

As he watched, the young man standing by the buffet table carefully cleared a miniature red Mercedes with a napkin before sliding it into his backpack.

He glanced up as Heero walked over. 'Hey! Don't tell anyone, will you?' He flicked Heero the most delightfully conspiratorial grin, somehow weaving a private world that encompassed just the two of them. 'I figure they'll probably throw the whole thing out when the party's over, so no one would mind if I took a couple of cars.'

'Of course they won't,' Heero assured him. 'Do you collect model cars then?'

The car thief shook his head. 'They're not for me. But my best friend has a little boy who's three and he loves them. He'll think it's Christmas when he sees these.'

'That's very nice of you.' Heero selected a bright yellow Ferrari and handed it over.

'Hey, thanks! I'm Duo. Nice to meet you.' He licked a smear of chocolate icing from the palm of his hand and held it out.

'Heero.' Having grown up in Japan where it wasn't the custom, he was never entirely comfortable shaking hands, but it felt good to hold Duo's. His skin was just a little damp from the swipe of his tongue, and there was still a faint trace of chocolate across his knuckles. 'Why don't you take some cake for your friend's son as well? Does he like chocolate?'

Duo nodded fervently. 'He'd live on the stuff if he could.' He took the napkins Heero held out and wrapped a large slice, carefully tucking it into his bag. 'Thanks! His mom is on her own, so she doesn't have much money for treats like this. Ben's going to think it's his birthday and Christmas all at once!

'Like you said, it'll probably be thrown out later anyway.'

'Yeah. I hate seeing food being wasted like that, don't you? Oh, thank you.' He eagerly accepted the plate of cake Heero handed him. 'When there are people starving in other countries and everything. And this is an amazing cake! I can't believe no one else is eating it.' He laughed suddenly, looking around at the other men around them, all with gym-honed bodies in designer clothing. All so different from Duo, in his jeans and t–shirt and that amazing smile. 'They'd probably get in trouble with their personal trainers if they ate all those calories, don't you think? I was talking to a guy at the door who was bitching about them not having diet tonic water at the bar. I mean, can you believe it?'

'It's ridiculous, isn't it?' Heero took a deep, calming breath, trying not to stare too obviously at Duo. Which wasn't easy when the other man's tongue was sliding along his spoon, licking up every last taste. This was what it was supposed to feel like then. 'Ah. Can I get you a drink?'

'I'd better not. This is the first thing I've had time to eat since breakfast.'

'Then you need to eat something more than cake,' Heero said firmly. A few words to one of the circulating waitresses produced a tray loaded with canapés.

'Oh, thanks!' Duo gave the girl a grateful smile, and dug a few notes out of his wallet, handing them to her. 'My friend Hilde used to work as a waitress. The pay was crap so she depended on tips.' He looked curiously at the plates of food. 'Wow, is this caviar? I've never tried that before.'

'Try it now.' Heero scooped a spoonful on to a cracker and held it out, fascinated by Duo's face as he chewed. 'Like it?'

'Weird.' Duo's tongue flicked out to lick a crumb at the corner of his mouth. 'I thought it was meant to be salty, like brine. It's more creamy, isn't it?'

'This is Beluga,' Heero explained, offering him another loaded cracker and taking one for himself. 'Sevruga is the one that tastes salty. You don't have to eat it if you don't like it. It's an acquired taste.'

Duo tossed him a cheeky grin. 'They say that about a lot of stuff, don't they? Some of that's creamy too, isn't it? And a bit salty.'

Heero suddenly realised what he was talking about, and promptly choked.

'Shit, I'm sorry! Here, drink this.'

Heero grabbed the glass of water Duo was holding out and downed it in one gulp. Wonderful. Duo had been flirting with him, and he'd acted like an idiot.

'I'm sorry,' Duo echoed softly. 'I'd normally never say something like that to a total stranger, I swear. I mean, I don't even know if you're gay, or with someone, or if you want to beat me up right now, or…'

'The last thing I'd want to do to you is beat you up,' Heero promised him. 'And, yes, I am gay.' There, he'd said it. For the first time ever. His friends had guessed, but he'd never actually said the words. 'I'm gay, Duo.'

Duo was smiling at him. 'You sound pretty happy about it.'

'I am. I wasn't, until a few minutes ago, but now I am. Very happy. Thank you.'

'It's my pleasure.' Duo leaned forward and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek; just a brush of soft lips against skin, but Heero could smell the aftershave he'd used, feel a few stray hairs ghost against his cheek. It felt just as amazing as he'd always hoped it would.

'Thank you.'

'You're just out?' Duo's gaze was understanding and affectionate and _damn_, he was gorgeous!

Heero's perfect man, miraculously conjured out of a wish from his birthday candles.

'It's … a little hard to explain. I wasn't anything for years. I was too wrapped up in my studies and then my job and I have some very good friends so I suppose I never felt the need for anything else. Two of my closest friends got together a year or so ago, and I started to think that it would be nice to have someone for myself, and I wondered what that person might be like.' He reached out, very daringly, and took Duo's hand. 'I worked out that it was a man I wanted to be with. That's tonight party is about, really. My friend Quatre fancies himself as a match-maker and I think he invited every eligible man in Sanque. I feel a bit like the prince in the Cinderella story!'

'Found any glass slippers yet?'

Heero glanced down at Duo's feet. He was wearing black boots with a small heel and a silver chain across the instep of each.

'Not yet, no.'

When he looked up, Duo was glowing at him, and they were still holding hands.

'I don't even know anything about you,' he said wonderingly.

'Where do I start? I'm Duo Maxwell, I'm twenty four, and I have the best job in the entire world! I work for a garage that imports cars from Italy. Mostly sports cars and classics. I get to fly there every couple of weeks to suss out Italian garages and car auctions and sometimes drive the cars back to Sanque. Isn't that the coolest thing you ever heard of? This time last week, I was driving a Lambourghini over the Alps!'

'So you're a used car salesman?' Heero teased. 'No wonder you talk so much!'

Duo grinned back at him. 'I work as a mechanic mostly, you know, servicing them before we put them up for sale. But I do work the saleroom if my boss is away. I'm pretty good.'

'I bet you are,' Heero agreed. Of course, he would be wonderful. How in the wide world would anyone be able to resist that smile?

Duo's smile widened. 'So, would you buy a car from me?'

'That depends. Perhaps if you came as part of the deal.' He was flirting, Heero realised. Flirting with a breath-taking man who seemed to be enjoying it as much as he was. And it was unbelievably easy.

'Well now.' Duo gave him the cutest little glance, up through his lashes. 'We don't generally do deals like that. You'd have to talk to my boss. He's usually pretty open to customer requests, if it makes a sale.'

Heero burst out laughing. 'You really are good at this, aren't you? It's a shame I already have a car.'

'But not one with me in it,' Duo pointed out, lower lip sticking out in the faintest suggestion of a pout.

'That has always been its one major flaw,' Heero said smoothly. 'Perhaps you'd consider coming for a drive with me sometime?'

There. He'd done it. He'd asked another man on a date.

Duo considered. 'I'm not sure. I've got a reputation as a purveyor of very special cars. I can't be seen in any old wreck.'

'Hn. Do you think your reputation could stand being seen in a 1957 Alfa Guilietta?'

'Hell, yeah! Seriously? 'Cause I was only joking, you know.'

'I wasn't,' Heero told him.

Duo squeezed his hand. 'I'd like that a lot. Tell me something about you.'

'My name's Heero Yuy, I moved to Sanque from Tokyo with my stepfather when I was fourteen, I edit a computer magazine and I have two cats.'

'Oh, I love cats,' Duo enthused. 'My friend Trowa has a couple of Maine Coons and they're great. Just big balls of fluff. I have a pet Polar bear.'

'Of course you do,' Heero played along. Duo might be a trifle eccentric, but he was also funny and charming and utterly gorgeous.

'Yeah,' Duo said around a mouthful of cake. 'Snowy.'

'Snowy,' Heero echoed. 'How original. I suppose you keep him in your bath?'

'Oy! I defy anyone in the universe to have a pet polar bear and _not_ call them Snowy. It's inconceivable. And no, I don't keep in my bath. I used to, when he was a tiny cub, but now he lives at the wildlife park in Nova. They've got a really good Arctic habitat.'

'You're serious!' Heero gaped at him. 'How in the world did you come to have an animal like that?'

'Trowa used to work at this circus during the summer holidays, when he was a student. They had polar bears, and one of the females died having her cub. They couldn't really care for the little one 'cause they were on the road all the time, so I said I'd take him.'

Heero shook his head wonderingly. 'That's amazing.'

'Yeah, it was cool. It was only for a few months, 'til he could eat solid food and got too big for me to keep at home, but it was great. I go to visit him every few weeks, and take him treats.'

'Like live seals?'

'No!' Duo made a face at him. 'Like guys who don't buy my cars when I give them the full sales pitch!'

'I see.' Heero stepped just a little closer, very daringly sliding one arm around Duo's waist to pull him a little closer. 'Are you quite sure that was the full sales pitch you just gave me? Because I'm very tempted but I think may I need a little further incentive.'

'I could maybe do that. If I really want to close a sale, my boss lets me do all kinds of stuff to keep the client happy.' Duo's perfect, kissable mouth, was almost on his, when a telephone rang sharply. 'Damn!' Duo slid a phone out of his jeans pocket, grimacing when he saw the number. 'Sorry, Heero. I need to take this. It's work. I'll be back ASAP but I could be a few minutes. Wait for me?'

'Of course.' He watched Duo head out through the throng of dancers, braid swinging jauntily across that lovely ass.

Yes! He'd met someone he liked, a lot, and who seemed to like him back, and was willing to spend time with him. And they had almost kissed and Duo had agreed to go out with him.

'My God, Yuy,' an amused voice drawled. 'Just how much have you had to drink? You do realise you're smiling like the village idiot?'

Heero turned to see Zechs Merquise grinning at him. ''I've met someone.'

'That beauty with the braid who was just talking to you? Well, no wonder you look like all your birthdays have come at once! Do you think you could come into the back with me for a few minutes? I've something I need to talk to you about. It's rather urgent.'

'Oh.' Heero took a last, longing look at the door Duo had vanished through, and then nodded. After all, he'd said the call might take a while. He followed Zechs around the edge of the dance floor, to a small, darkened room behind the bar. 'What's the matter? You haven't had a fight with Wufei, have you?'

'Certainly not. I just have a little birthday present for you, that's all.'

'But you already gave me a gift this morning.'

Zechs smiled. 'Shall we say, an extra gift? You remember our little conversation last week?'

Oh shit. He'd had dinner at Zechs and Wufei's house, and afterwards Wufei had gone to his study to mark some exams and Zechs had taken out a bottle of brandy. At some point after that Heero had told his friend that while he knew perfectly well that he liked men, he'd never actually met a real person he'd been attracted too. Luckily, he hadn't been quite drunk enough to mention that there was a couple of honourable exceptions to that statement and that both of them were currently in the same house as he was.

Even in the dim light, he could see the very definite gleam in Zechs' blue eyes. Oh, shit. This wasn't just a random room either. The lighting was purposely dim, but there was a deep leather couch and a box of tissues on the little table beside it.

'Zechs! My god, tell me you haven't hired a stripper!'

'A little more than that, actually. An exotic dancer,' Zechs corrected silkily. 'Heero, it's just a little fun. A very lovely young man who's going to put on a show for you.'

'I'm not interested.' Heero crossed his arms and glared at his friend.

'Now, stop being prudish. I've already paid him, so you'll be wasting good money if you don't at least give it a chance.' Zechs reached out and touched his arm, very gently. 'Heero, I do know this is all difficult for you. Just sit back and enjoy the show, all right? It will only take ten minutes or so. If you're in any way uncomfortable, you can leave, or ask him to stop. '

Heero nodded. Duo _had_ said he might be a while, and Heero didn't really want to have to endure any more strangers coming up to him. At least in here, he was safe from that. He settled back in the soft leather sofa as the lights dimmed a little more and music started to play.

A slim figure suddenly appeared on the little stage, with his back to Heero, a cloud of hair swinging around him as he began to move slowly, in time to the gentle beat of the song.

The dance wasn't overtly sexy or slutty, just very sensual. Gentle spotlights picked out details here and there out of the darkness; the gleam of a violet silk shirt; a firm backside in black leather, copper-gold glints in his hair as it swirled around him.

It _was_ rather lovely. Obviously, Heero had much preferred being with Duo but the young man on the stage was undeniably talented. If he hadn't had Duo outside, waiting for him, he would have been sorry when the music stopped.

'Would you like me to come closer for the next song?' The dancer's voice was pitched low and sultry, and oddly familiar.

Heero swallowed. As Zechs had so rightly said, there was no harm in appreciating the male body, and certainly not in this beautiful incarnation.

Without waiting for Heero's response, the dancer shook back his glorious hair and jumped down from the stage, silky shirt sliding from his shoulders as he moved. 'Your friend asked for the deluxe show so I can…'

'Duo!'

'Heero!' Duo stuttered, stumbling to a halt.

Heero felt bile, bitter as betrayal, rising in his throat. Of _course_ Duo had been perfect. Zechs had obviously coached him in how to behave. It had all been an act, and Heero, the idiot, had fallen for every word.

'Get out!'

'Heero, wait.'

'I _said_, get out. That little act of yours was very impressive, but I'm really not interested in being with a prostitute.'

'I'm not a prostitute!'

'Oh, excuse me for not knowing the politically correct term.' Heero's tone could have serrated steel. 'Exotic dancer, is that better? Although it doesn't really convey the full meaning of someone who sleeps with strangers for money. Now, get the hell out of here!'

Duo ran.

'What the hell happened?' Zechs was suddenly in the room, flanked by Wufei and Quatre. What the hell was that all about? Had they been waiting to congratulate him on losing his virginity to a paid whore? 'Why was he so upset?'

'_He_ was upset! Fuck him! _I'm_ furious, if you're interested.'

'I told them it was a stupid idea!' Quatre said defensively.

'You were in on this?' Heero stared disbelievingly at his friend. 'You seriously thought it was OK to let them hire a prostitute to sleep with me?'

'Heero, what on earth's the matter? Zechs didn't mean any harm.' Wufei stepped up to take his partner's hand. 'Of course we didn't hire you a prostitute! He's just a dancer! We looked up some websites and we picked someone we thought you'd find attractive.'

'He's not just a dancer,' Heero snarled. 'He's the one! I was talking to him earlier. I thought he…I liked him. But it was all an act, wasn't it?'

'No!' Zechs was suddenly in front of him, hands on Heero's shoulders. 'Heero, no. I just engaged him over the internet, last week. He looks different on his website; that's why I didn't recognise him outside. I told him to be here at half past ten. He texted me to say he'd arrived a little early and I told him just to go and have a drink until the private room was ready. He didn't even know who he was supposed to be dancing for. I never told him your name or anything; just that I wanted him to put on a show for a friend.'

'Oh, fuck.' Heero thrust one hand though his hair. 'I thought – I totally screwed up. You said he was going to do more than just strip, and then he said he'd been paid for the deluxe show.'

'It was just a lap dance!' Zechs stared at him. 'What did you say to him?'

'Horrible things,' Heero whispered, remembering the look on Duo's face before he'd turned to leave. 'Oh, God. I have to find him.

He was sitting on the pavement outside the club. 'Yeah, I _know_ it's closing time,' he was saying into his phone. 'And I know I'm outside the city; that's the damn reason why I'm calling a taxi in the first place. OK, _fine_. I'll wait.' His face hardened when he saw Heero approaching. 'If you're here to hand out any more abuse, fuck off. I don't get paid enough to put up with that crap.'

'I'm here to apologise. Duo, I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have said any of that.'

'No,' Duo said flatly. 'You shouldn't. Fine. _Now_, fuck off.'

'Can you please let me explain?'

'You know what? I don't give a damn. This job is shit, Heero. If you think I _like_ taking my clothes off in front of total strangers, and getting slobbered over like I'm a lump of meat for sale, well, I don't. I thought it was nice actually meeting someone who talked to me like a human being for a change, but now it just hurts. At least those assholes who dribble over me are honest. It's pretty damn obvious what they want. They don't put on some act and then turn on me.'

Heero flinched at the ache in those beautiful eyes. 'The _only_ reason I reacted like that is because I thought you'd been acting earlier. I've never met anyone like you. I thought you were amazingly special and you seemed to like me too. When I saw you in that room, I thought my friend had paid you to be nice to me beforehand.'

'I'm not that good an actor,' Duo mumbled, calming down a little.

'Why do you do it?'

'I need the money.'

'It sounds like you already have a good job.'

'It's not for me. It's for Hilde. Ben's dad was like my older brother; we grew up together. He was killed in a car accident last year, and Hilde got sacked from her job a few months later 'cause Ben got sick and she kept taking time off to be with him. Then she started getting behind on her rent, and she took out a loan with some moneylender.' He sighed. 'Stupid girl. She only told me when he started getting heavy on her to make the repayments. And there's not a lot of ways to make a lot of money fast. Not legal ways.' He sighed, running one hand through his mass of hair. 'So that's it. My dirty little secret. You can go back to your party now if you want, and find some guy who's good enough to take around in your car.'

'I don't just want you in my car,' Heero said in a rush. 'I want you in my whole life. Please. I'll find some other way to help you get the money for your friend. Zechs has a restaurant; he's always looking for waiting staff. He pays well, and I'm sure he'd be understanding if she needed time off.'

'Nah. I can fix my own mess, thank you. I won't need to do this for much longer anyway. Hilde's got a new job, and we've almost paid off what she owes. Then I can get back to my real life.'

'I hope she realises what a good friend you are,' Heero said quietly. 'How amazing you are. And I'm so very sorry about the things I said to you. I'd do anything to show you how much.'

'Anything?' For one heartbeat, looking into the challenge in Duo's eyes, Heero felt an adrenalin-charged rush of pure terror and then Duo just laughed. 'Forget it, OK? There's no point. Come on, Heero. You can't possibly tell me that you like what I do.'

'I can't,' Heero agreed. 'I also hate that you so obviously hate it, and that you're too stubborn to accept help from a total stranger, and I think I'm going to have to kill everyone in the universe who's ever even looked at you sideways, when you're dancing for them.'

Duo started to laugh and quickly turned it into a cough.

'You don't know me.'

'I don't know a lot about any of this, but according to my friend Quatre, one reason to go on a date with someone is to exchange information about each other. Traditionally over dinner at a nice restaurant. And you seem to like talking and eating, so maybe you'd be willing to partake of those activities with me.'

'Maybe.' Duo gave him a little sidelong glance, very sly. He was pouting again; Heero would never, never be able to resist that; not when Duo's bottom lip practically had a big neon sign declaring it to be the most kissable piece of flesh in the universe. Or maybe he would let Heero nibble on it, or slide his tongue across it, or _damn_ it, just capture that delicious mouth in his own and see what a real kiss felt like.

'Maybe?' Heero repeated, one eyebrow raised. It was a look that always seemed very sexy on Wufei.

Duo shrugged, tossing his hair over both shoulders. 'You want to go out with me. Convince me.'

It would be so easy, and so very terrifying, just to lean over and kiss him. Heero didn't. 'I I like you, and I thought you liked me too. You're the only person in the whole club who actually made me feel grateful that I'm gay. All the others just wanted to brag about how much their houses are worth, and their last promotions and then expected me to go home with them. You made me laugh and you were interested in who I actually am. Oh, I forgot, this is yours.'

He handed Duo the silk shirt he'd grabbed on his way out. 'I didn't find out any glass slippers but maybe this is the modern equivalent. And I'm very grateful that I don't have to spend the rest of my life trying to find its owner.'

Duo stifled another laugh. 'What, you're setting up as Prince Charming?'

'You're the one who's charming.' He jumped up, holding out one hand. 'I want to make this up to you. You said you'd come for a drive in my car. Will you please let me take you out tomorrow night?

Duo was smiling as Heero pulled him up. 'No horse-drawn carriage then? I was kind of hoping for that.'

'Tomorrow,' Heero promised. 'I promise. If you'll come out with me.'

'Maybe,' Duo said, teasing, and then leaned in to touch his mouth to Heero's, making the kiss a question at the beginning. Heero parted his lips, slightly, at the first dab of Duo's tongue, not entirely sure what was the correct thing to do; not sure either what to do with his hands, which were hanging uselessly by his side and wanting to put them on Duo's waist but then he'd want to touch more, lower down and Duo mightn't allow that.

Then Duo moaned, a little, deep in his throat, and Heero slid his tongue out to meet Duo's and his beautiful car thief suddenly had both arms around Heero's neck. Heero's hands were suddenly sliding up Duo's back, feeling warmth and muscle under the little top, and then venturing down, just a little.

'Wow,' Duo breathed, soft as the strands of loose hair that were drifting against Heero's skin.

'Wow, yes.' Wufei had been right all along, it turned out. It was easy, and exhilarating, and, damn it, utterly engrossing with the right person.

'Yeah.'

Duo didn't seem to mind Heero winding both hands through his hair and pulling him close for another, deeper kiss, so he did just that. Duo didn't mind, either, when Heero scraped his teeth against his bottom lip, just to see how it felt, or sucked on Duo's tongue, or pulled back a little to kiss that little place at the base of his throat, and then each corner of his mouth, and then the tip of his nose.

'So?' Heero pressed another kiss to the utterly irresistible dimple hovering beneath Duo's left cheek. 'Tomorrow?'

'You're very persistent.'

'Yes.'

'OK, then.'

'Really?'

'Really.' Duo gave him a firm nod, and somewhere somebody blew a car horn and footsteps, moving fast, rushed past them.

They were on the street, with other people around, hurrying home, or into a bar before closing time, and he'd totally forgotten. Totally forgotten anything else existed in the entire universe.

'Me too,' Duo confided softly, and then a taxi pulled up beside them.

'Maxwell?' the driver stuck his head out of the window.

'Yeah. Yeah, that's me.' He sounded torn and breathless and regretful all at once. 'Uh, Heero, I'm really sorry but I start work early tomorrow and…'

'No. It's all right. You'd better take it or you could be waiting for hours.' He opened the door, ushering Duo inside and handing him the backpack. 'Tomorrow.'

'Tomorrow.' Duo wound down his window and leaned out, heedless of the driver protesting that the meter was switched on. 'I can't wait.'

'Nor can I.' Heero bent down and kissed him again, heedless of the fact that there were people watching. Probably jealous, since they _were_ in Sanque's gay district, after all. He blew Duo another kiss as the car started to pull off and then thought of something.

Fuck.

'Duo!' He leaped into the road, breaking into a run. 'What's your phone number?'

Duo's laughter floated out of the car, as he leaned back out in a cloud of hair. Heero was repeating the number, over and over, in his head as he walked back to his party to find his friends.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own any part of Gundam Wing and make no monetary gains from writing.

Note: This is for the awesomely amazing Snowdragonct's birthday. Many thanks to Kaeru Shisho for multiple edits.

**Chapter Two: Trowa does his best to forget a certain blue-eyed guy he's been dreaming about, trying to date an interesting customer instead, but things don't quite work out as planned.**

'Oy, Maxwell,' Trowa grumbled, without any real expectation of being listened to. 'Stop eating my fondant violets.'

'I need a sugar fix,' Duo, who considered the bakery his own private pantry, popped another one into his mouth. 'You've got zillions anyway.'

'Yeah, because I spent all morning making them. And Lady Sylvia Noventa will be pissed if there isn't a tumbling cascade of flowers on her wedding cake.'

Duo sniggered. 'I can't believe you just said that.'

'I was quoting the specs for the cake. It's supposed to be a 'Springtime Fantasy'. She originally wanted real flowers, but Cathy thought some of the guests might be allergic or something so I've been up since four making fondant.'

Another snicker. 'I wish the guys at the bike shop could see you like this. Just as a matter of interest, how do all these society ladies like having their wedding cakes made by a tattooed biker guy in leather?'

'One tattoo,' Trowa said mildly. 'And I can hardly wear leather in a kitchen. Way too hot.'

'Oh, yeah,' Duo grinned, pretending to fan himself. 'In every way.'

'Yeah, yeah. Damn it, Duo, _stop_ eating those.' Trowa prudently removed the tray from the table. 'I thought Heero was taking you out to lunch.'

'He did. But he only had an hour and it was either have dessert or have a few minutes to make out in his car.'

'You actually chose him over food?' Trowa marvelled. 'It must be serious.'

'I really like him,' Duo said, serious for once.

'That's obvious. And it's pretty damn obvious that he really likes you.'

Duo glowed with sheer happiness; the way he hadn't looked in months. 'It is, isn't it?'

'Blindingly. Listen, I have to get the cake from the back. If you eat so much as one flower, I'll know. And I'll get it back if I have to open you up. Got that?'

'Wouldn't dream of touching a single petal.' His friend gave him a smile of patently false innocence.

Oh, well, he did have zillions; he could spare one or two.

When he came back into the kitchen, Duo took sticky, sugary fingers out of his mouth and gasped. 'Wow. You really made that yourself?'

'Yep.' Trowa placed the cake, very carefully, on the table. 'No, don't touch it.'

Duo's half-extended finger drew back immediately. 'Sorry. It's just – totally amazing. I know you used to help out in your parents' bakery, but I didn't think you could do all that fancy icing and stuff.'

Trowa grinned. 'What can I say? I'm a multi-talented metro-sexual. You really like it? I haven't done anything this fancy for years.'

'I love it. I think you should change careers. And I want to book you to make my wedding cake!'

'Bit soon for that, no?' Trowa lifted an eyebrow at him. 'You've known Heero, what? Two weeks?'

'Sixteeen days,' Duo said proudly. 'I know. It's way too soon to be thinking of stuff like that, isn't it?'

'Who knows? I'll definitely make your cake. Just give me plenty of notice.'

'Will do.' Duo glanced at his watch. 'I'd better go. Oh, hey, I meant to ask you, Heero suggested going to the movies tomorrow night. D'you want to come along?'

'I hardly think you want me coming on a date.'

'It's not a date, really. A friend of Heero's is coming along.' Duo made a face. 'The one who doesn't like me. I could kind of do with some moral support.'

'What?' Trowa put a tray of fondant flowers on the table and looked up at him. 'Not one of the guys we had lunch with last Sunday? They seemed fine.'

'Oh, Wufei and Zechs are cool. It's not them. It's this other guy; Heero's best friend. It's pretty obvious that he can't stand me.'

'Then he's an idiot. And I'm surprised Heero puts up with him behaving like that.'

Duo shrugged, absently taking a sugared primrose. 'I've only met him once. He was OK, actually, but since then he keeps making these really lame excuses not to meet me. He was supposed to come to lunch with everyone on Sunday but he cancelled at the last minute and said he had to go to Lake Victoria with some volunteers group. There'd been a landslide on part of the trail and they were trying to get it cleared.'

'What's wrong with that? I help out there most weekends. I'd have gone that day if you hadn't set up lunch.'

'Yeah, but Cat's never done anything like that in his whole life, as far as I know. And then we were supposed to have dinner during the week, and he called and said he had to work.'

'Well, maybe he had,' Trowa said fairmindedly.

Duo snorted. 'Hardly. His dad owns the company he works for. And he never seems to have problems getting time off for anything else. It's just me.'

'Then he's an idiot, like I said. Anyway, Heero doesn't seem like the sort who's going to let someone else have any say in who he dates. You don't need to need to worry about – what did you say his name was? Cat?'

'Oh, he's got some weird foreign name I can't say properly. I don't know. I thought he was nice, the time I met him. I thought we got on OK, but I guess he was trying, for Heero's sake. He's made it damn clear since then that he doesn't want to be anywhere around me. It sucks. Him and Heero are really close; they've known each other since they were little kids. Kind of like me and Solo used to be, I think. He's the closest thing to family Heero's got.' He sighed. 'I suppose he's just protective, and I can't really blame him for thinking I'm not good enough. Or for not wanting his best friend to date an ex-stripper.'

'Exotic dancer, it said on your website,' Trowa said, trying to make him smile. It didn't work. He shoved the tray of crystallised lilies across the table instead.

'Whatever. As far as some people are concerned, that made me a whore, and I think Cat's one of them. It was bad enough when total strangers treated me like that, but it's really horrible when it's someone you know, someone you sort of liked. And I hate that Heero's going to realise it, and maybe feel he's got to choose between us. He's meeting Cat for dinner tonight, actually, and he didn't tell me. I just overheard him talking on the phone when I got to the restaurant.'

'Look, this guy may be Heero's friend, but if he's not intelligent enough to see what an amazing person you are, then he's not worth you worrying about him for two seconds. I don't know anyone else in the universe who'd have done what you did, just to help out a friend.'

'Yeah, well.' Duo grinned suddenly, mumbling around a mouthful of sugar-paste snowdrops. 'It's great not having to do it anymore. Hilde likes her new job; Ben loves his pre-school. All good.'

Trowa nodded, just a bit grimly. Hilde was one of the few things he and Duo disagreed about. 'About time she got off her ass and started doing something.'

'That isn't fair, Tro,' Duo said quickly. 'It's not like she asked for Solo to die, and leave her with a toddler to look after and no money.'

'Nearly a year ago,' Trowa pointed out. 'She just sat back and let you do that fucking job for over three months while she moped around bitching about how unfair her life was.'

'She was depressed. Look, it wasn't just for her. It was something I could do for Solo, you know.'

'Whatever. I wish you'd just accepted that loan from me in the first place.'

'It was enough that you offered,' Duo said quietly. "Honest. I couldn't let you get another mortgage just to help someone you don't even like all that much. Anyway, the reason I met Heero in the first place was because I took that one last job, so it all came out aces. Look, I'd better head off. I told Howard I'd be back at three.'

'In which case you're already late,' Trowa mentioned. 'OK, see you. Let me know what time the film's on tomorrow. I'll beat up that Cat guy if he's not openly worshipful.'

Duo laughed. 'Not sure if that would go down well with Heero. Nah, you could just tell him how amazing I am. He might even believe you; you being a respectable business owner and all.'

'Respectable, really? Trowa flicked his hair out of his eyes, grinning. 'Not sure if I've ever been called that before.'

'Well, respectable, now,' Duo amended. 'Who knows? You guys might even get on.'

'Sure. 'Cause I have a real thing for stuck-up guys with sticks up their asses.'

'Well, you never know.' Duo jumped off his stool, heading for the door. 'He's kind of cute. I'll call you about the movie, OK?'

The kitchen was quiet after he left. Trowa started to assemble the cake decorations, called Cathy who was out catering a little girl's birthday tea, and was flicking through radio stations when the phone rang. Just as well. He needed to keep focussed these days; letting his thoughts drift off invariably meant they floated to that guy he'd met a couple of weeks before, the one who'd vanished.

'Cake, by Catherine,' Trowa said politely, wishing his sister had chosen a different name for her business. 'Hello? Hello?' he repeated, when there was silence on the other end of the line.

'Oh, hello!' A male voice said breathlessly. 'I'm so sorry. I took my eyes off my kitten for two seconds and she was trying to climb into my violin.'

Nice voice; vaguely familiar. Posh accent, but with a laugh in it.

'I know; I've got two cats and they've got a genius for going where they're not supposed to. Can I help you?'

'I hope so. You made the most wonderful cake for me a couple of weeks ago. A chocolate one shaped like a race track.'

'The one with the model cars? I remember.' That was why he was familiar then; just a client. No other reason. 'Did the little boy like it?'

The other man laughed. 'Oh, it was for a friend of mine actually. But, yes, he did love it. Anyway, I was wondering if you could help me with something. It's my sister's twenty-first birthday on Friday and my parents just had a call from the company that was making the cake. They had a fire in their kitchen last night and they'll be closed for the next two weeks. Do you think you could make something or would you need more notice?'

'Friday? You mean next Friday, don't you? The twelfth?' Trowa flipped open Cathy's laptop to check dates. 'That's kind of short notice.'

'I mean this Friday. The day after tomorrow. The party isn't until the evening, if that's any help to you.'

'Evening, right.' Trowa rolled his eyes. Still, one cake for a family party wouldn't take too long. 'Yeah, we could just about manage that, if you don't want anything too fancy. How many people are coming to this party?'

'Oh, that's fantastic. _Thank_ you. I'd have to check the guest list for exact numbers, but I imagine a couple of hundred. Is that a problem?'

Trowa whistled. 'Then you're going to need a couple of cakes. At least.' _Shit_. OK, that was Thursday gone, day and night. But the business was only six months old; Cathy couldn't afford to turn down a job like that, not when it might attract so many potential customers. Plus he didn't really want to disappoint this cheery guy.

'Now, what sort of cake? We've got dozens of models on the website.'

'I'll have to look. I wanted to check you could make it before anything else. Jasmine loves chocolate, and the one you made for me before was delicious, but I think a very feminine design.'

'How about you look at the site, and call me back if you see something you like? I'll need to know ASAP in case I need to order special stuff.'

'Yes, I can do that straightaway. Oh, Mitra! No! No! Bad kitty!'

'Violin again?' Trowa asked, wishing he could see what was going on. A kitten, a violin and a guy who sounded like he laughed a lot.

'Laptop, this time. I'd better go. May I call you back?'

'I'll be here.' Trowa dredged in his memory for a name; they'd spoken once, very briefly, about the order for the first cake, and otherwise communicated by email. 'It's Quatre, right?'

'That's right. I'm sorry. I don't think I got your name the last time?'

'Trowa.'

'Trowa,' Quatre repeated softly. 'I'll try not to be too long.'

He rang back in fifteen minutes. Trowa found himself smiling just at the sound of his voice. Odd. Odder that he'd been looking forward just to hearing it. Not at all like him.

'So. You saw something you liked?'

'Something I _loved_,' Quatre said emphatically. 'I'm not sure if it's going to be suitable for a birthday though. It was in the wedding cake section, but I saw the photo and it's perfect. The round cake covered in white roses.'

'Oh, yeah. That one's nice.' Trowa thought about it. 'I wouldn't worry about it being a wedding cake. A lot of people choose cakes out of different sections. Let's see. I could make one big one for your sister to be photographed with and stuff, and then a few smaller ones, that we could have sliced in advance. Does that sound OK?'

'Absolutely,' Quatre breathed.

'Good. Now, you want a chocolate sponge like I did for your friend, right?. What sort of fillings?'

'Jasmine's favourite desert is white chocolate mousse.'

'Fine. Check. And you want the fondant icing with the roses?'

'If you could possibly. I know it's a ridiculously short amount of time.'

'I could, possibly,' Trowa said. 'Look, how about I run through the costs and send you an invoice?'

'Oh, the money's not important,' Quatre said at once. Well for some. 'Honestly. My mother spent the whole morning ringing around to try to find someone to do this. I thought I'd end up trying to make a cake myself!'

'You don't cook then?' Trowa flicked the 'phone onto speaker and went to check the fruit cakes he had in the oven.

'Cooking, yes. Baking, definitely not. I have tried a couple of times, but it always ends in disaster.'

'People poisoned?' Trowa ventured, sliding on a pair of oven gloves.

'Not yet, thank heavens. But many, many cake tins ruined, along with the contents. I'm hopeless at remembering for how long they're supposed to stay in the oven.'

'You don't have a timer?' Trowa carefully lifted out the first heavy tin, sniffing appreciatively.

'Well, yes, but it's not very loud and I just blank it out if I'm on the computer or playing music.'

Trowa laughed, and then the phone he'd left on the table beeped. 'Sorry, Quatre. I've got a call on the other line. Would you mind if I put you on hold for a sec? Or do you have stuff you need to do?"

'I don't mind waiting,' Quatre said quietly. 'Unless you're busy? I don't want to keep you. You probably have a million things to do.'

'Nothing that can't wait a bit. I'll try to make this quick.'

He couldn't though. It took almost fifteen minutes to convince Lady bloody Sylvia Noventa that yes, the silk ribbons on the cake were an exact match for her flower girls' sashes and hair ribbons, and yes, the fondant icing had been hand-made and Trowa could personally vouch for the fact that no nuts whatsoever had been used. Trowa fumed his way through every minute, sure that Quatre would have got bored and hung up. Who the hell would stay on hold for that long?

Quatre apparently.

'It's fine,' he said, when Trowa started to apologise. 'Mia's gone to sleep on my lap so I couldn't get up anyway.'

'What sort of cat is she?'

'I think maybe part-Siamese, because she has blue eyes. I just got her from the shelter last month. She's adorable. What are your cats like?'

'Maine coons. Like big fluffy cushions, really.'

'Oh, gorgeous.'

'Yeah, they're cute. Can you wait for two minutes? I just need to get something from the back room.'

'I should probably let you go.' Quatre said when he got back, sounding rather reluctant. 'You're working.'

'No, it's OK. I've got you on speaker. Where are you? At home, or do you take the kitten to work?'

'God, no. She'd create chaos. I'm at home, supposedly working but not right now. Obviously.'

'What d'you do?'

'Merchant banking. I would have liked to have been a professional musician, but I was never really good enough. Did you always want to be a chef?'

'I'm not. I'm just helping out. It's my sister's business, but her assistant broke her arm last month, and Cathy can't really afford to pay extra help. Our parents had a bakery so I can do most stuff.'

'You grew up in a bakery?' Quatre asked excitedly. 'That must have been so much fun. Could you eat all the cakes you wanted?'

Talking about their very different childhoods took them up to Trowa emptying the cooled cakes out of their tins; Quatre was just as fascinated by Trowa's holiday jobs at a circus when he'd been a student, as Trowa was by Quatre's account of how his family had moved all around the world when he'd been a child. The discussion about favourite films and food lasted until Sylvia's wedding cake was perfect, trailing silk ribbons and all, and Trowa washed up while they talked about music.

'Goodness, it's almost seven!' Quatre exclaimed. 'Trowa, I'm terribly sorry, but I'll have to go. I'm supposed to meeting a friend for dinner.'

'No problem. Hey, I was just thinking. If you'd like to see an example of what your sister's cake will be like, I'll be putting together something very similar tomorrow for an anniversary party. It's the same model but with lilies instead of roses.'

And it would mean actually getting to meet him in person.

Time to stop dreaming about some guy he'd met for all of ten minutes. To stop dreaming about a pair of blue eyes shining at him. If he'd been remotely interested, he would have hung around; Trowa had only been gone for a couple of minutes, helping one of the other volunteers to move a log. But he'd got back and the guy'd taken off, a few footprints and tyre tracks on the muddy path the only sign he'd ever existed.

'I could probably do that. The bakery's on Victoria Street, isn't it? My office isn't too far away. I could take an early lunch break.'

'That'd work.' Trowa grinned broadly. So. Cute-sounding guy who worked close by. 'If you're not in a rush to get back to your office, we could go and get a sandwich or something after you see the cake?'

'I'd like that very much. It's a date then!'

'Is it really?'

'Oh! I didn't mean to say…..that just slipped out. I don't know. Is it?'

'If you want, yeah.'

'I'd like it to be, yes.' Quatre laughed suddenly. 'Is this silly? We might hate each other on sight.'

'Maybe.' Trowa leaned against the table, picking up the phone. Idiotic, but it made him feel a little bit closer to this person he'd never met.

'That's not very optimistic,' Quatre chided.

'You started it. And I really don't think I'll hate you.'

'I don't think so either. I'm sorry, but I really should go. I don't like making people wait and my friend's always early.'

'Just a friend, I hope?' Trowa asked. 'Is it too early for me to start asking stuff like that?'

'Not at all. He's a very good friend, but nothing else. You've nothing whatsoever to worry about.' He laughed. 'Actually, he just met the man of his dreams a short time ago, and he's planning a wildly romantic trip next month. That's why we're meeting up tonight. I've been to most European cities, so I'm going to help plan the itinerary.'

.

'Lucky guy. OK. Enjoy your dinner. I'll see you tomorrow morning.'

He didn't, though.

Quatre rang at nine on Thursday. 'Trowa? I'm so sorry. I won't be able to make lunch today. I have to attend a meeting. Would it be all right if I called in later this afternoon?'

'Sure,' Trowa tried not to sound too disappointed. Stupid. He didn't even _know_ this guy. 'No problem. I'll let Cathy know you're dropping in.'

'Oh.' Quatre didn't even bother to hide the disappointment in his voice and Trowa suddenly cheered up. It wasn't just him then. 'Won't you be there?'

'Afraid not. I have to drop a wedding cake off, and then I've got work this afternoon and then get back here to make your sister's cake.'

'I hope I haven't messed up any plans you had for the evening?'

'It's not a big deal. I didn't have anything definite on.' He did feel a tiny twinge of guilt at abandoning Duo to the evil Cat-guy, but Heero would look after him, and work had to come first anyway. 'Are you going to be around later? I could call you.'

'I'd love that! And no, I don't have anything definite plans either. A couple of friends did ask me to go out with them, but I think they'll be just as happy if I cancel.'

'Right. About sevenish? Will you be home from work then?'

'If I hurry, yes. I'll talk to you then. And maybe we can arrange another time to meet for lunch?'

'I think we could do that.' Trowa beamed into the phone. 'Or dinner, if you'd like?'

'Yes, please,' Quatre said happily. 'Dinner would be lovely. And I'll talk to you tonight.'

Trowa made it 'til three before calling Cathy, dying to know how she'd got on with Quatre. 'So? Did everything go OK?'

'All's fine, so far. And I've got a big new job for next month; a wedding cake, and a selection of deserts.'

'Cathy, for God's sake, you know what I'm talking about. Quatre. Did he show up?'

'Oh, _Quatre_. Yes, he did. And he loved the cake, so I'm afraid you're going to be baking all night.'

'Just throw me a bone, will you? What's he like?'

His utterly evil sister laughed at him 'Not sure if he's your type. Very corporate. Designer suit; _very_ expensive looking.'

'I don't give a damn about his clothes!'

Cathy chuckled. 'Only what's under them, right? OK, he's blond, cute, looks fit. Very charming. Talked about you a lot. How you'd offered to help him out with the cake, saved his sister's birthday, blah blah blah. Seemed keen. And very sorry he didn't get to meet you for lunch. I assume you've made some other arrangements?'

'Yeah. Sort of. I'm calling him tonight.'

'Good,' his sister said firmly. 'About time you had someone.'

Maybe it was. Trowa enjoyed his own company most of the time, and he had Duo and Cathy when he wanted someone to spend time with. He didn't even know if he and Quatre would get on in person.

Four hours to go 'til Quatre would be free. It was insane, getting this excited over just talking to someone who was basically a stranger. He still spent most of the afternoon checking his watch. In the end, Quatre called a little early, just after Trowa arrived at the bakery.

'Hey,' Trowa said cheerfully. 'Good timing; I was about to call you. Cathy said you liked the cake. I'm just getting the mixing bowls out now.'

'It was perfect.' Quatre said, much more subdued than he had before. No laughter or exuberance at all this time. 'Trowa, I'm sorry. There's something I need to tell you. I – last night, I think I got a little bit carried away. I don't normally talk to people like that, people I don't know. '

'Right. It's OK. Nor do I. People usually complain I don't talk at all.'

'Um.' Quatre cleared his throat. 'I think….I know, I shouldn't have flirted with you last night.'

'You've got a boyfriend?'

'No! Not exactly. I – there is someone I've met a while ago, but I don't think anything's ever going to happen with him. It's all rather complicated. Anyway, I'm just not sure…I don't think I'm in the best place to start any other relationships right now.'

'I see.' Trowa said heavily. 'Right. Thanks for telling me. Good luck with the other guy, OK?'

He hung up before Quatre had a chance to reply.

Great. Bloody universe playing tricks. Of course someone as brilliant as Quatre sounded would have someone else. Probably a queue of guys. Dozens of them.

The cakes turned out perfect. Not so perfect was having to deliver the damn things on Friday evening, but Cathy was out on a job, and he didn't trust couriers.

The Winner house – mansion – was insane when he got there. After getting directions from five assorted people, he finally found the kitchen, and a place to leave the cake boxes. Then he got lost on the way out, thanks to a stupid giggly girl who pointed him up the wrong staircase. Moving fast, wanting to get out of there, Trowa took a corner too quickly and walked smack into someone coming out of a doorway.

'I'm sorry! I wasn't looking where I was…OH!'

'Oh,' Trowa echoed stupidly. It was _him_; the guy from the bike trail. He looked a bit different in a snazzy pale grey suit with his fair hair perfectly combed, but it was him. No question.

'I looked for you!' Bike Guy blurted. 'I've been on _three_ of those volunteer days at the park but you were never there, and no one seemed to know who you were.'

Trowa propped himself against a wall. 'I tried to find you too. I've been to every damn bike shop in Sanque but none of them stocked that model you were riding. And I've cycled along that trail God knows how many times in the past couple of weeks.'

'My bike was imported from Switzerland.' The blond raked a hand through his perfectly neat hair, tousling it. Much better. It had looked that way when he'd taken off his helmet. And when he'd gone, there'd been one bright gold hair caught in a branch above Trowa's head.

'Why'd you take off like that?'

'That girl…I thought maybe she was your girlfriend. I didn't think there was any point in waiting.'

Trowa shook his head. 'No. She just wanted some help with lifting something. I got back two minutes later and you were gone. What are you doing here? Are you going to this party?'

'Yes. It's my sister's birthday. What are you….?' His eyes were suddenly huge. 'Trowa?'

'You're Quatre?' Of _course_, he was.

'Nice to meet you, finally, properly.' Trowa held out one hand, and Quatre tumbled into his arms.

'It's _very_ nice to meet you,' he said, several minutes later, breathless. 'That was quite the introduction.'

'It's about time.' Trowa kissed him again. 'Listen,' he added, wanting to get things straight. 'That other guy you were talking about, that was me?'

'Well, of course it was!' Quatre leaned up and swept Trowa's hair out of his eyes. 'I haven't been able to stop thinking about you since then. _So_ ridiculous. And then I really liked talking to you on the telephone, and then I started to feel guilty, and it all got horribly confusing.'

Trowa burst out laughing. It didn't matter. Everything was all right. 'Tell me about it, would you? I thought maybe if I met you – Quatre, I mean, the guy on the phone – I'd be able to stop thinking about you - the guy on the bike. God, that makes no sense whatsoever.'

'Oh, but it does,' Quatre assured him, snuggling closer. 'It makes perfect sense. I'm so _glad_ we've finally met. And everyone I know will be overjoyed. I've been driving them mad the past few weeks, going on and on about you.'

'I didn't tell anyone,' Trowa confessed. 'It sounded so stupid, that I was hung up on some guy I'd met for only a few minutes.'

'I don't think it sounds stupid at all, but then I was just as bad.' Quatre's blue eyes shone up at him. 'Goodness, I can't wait to ring Heero. He's the one who convinced me, really, that I should keep looking for you.'

'Heero?' Trowa stared at him. 'Heero Yuy?'

'Well, yes. He's my best friend. How do you know him?'

'I don't, really. But I've known Duo Maxwell for years.' The last gear suddenly clicked into place. Quatre. Cat. His charming blond was Duo's evil Cat-guy? What the hell?

'Oh, Duo! He's marvellous, isn't he? The best thing that's ever happened to Heero in his whole life, I think. I can't wait to get to know him properly, but the past couple of weeks have been insane for me. We've had all kinds of problems at work, with the situation in the Middle East, and then I've been rushing around trying to find someone.'

'And now you have.'

'And now I have,' Quatre echoed. 'This is perfect. You can stay for the party, can't you?'

Trowa ducked his hair, hair tumbling back over his eyes. The idea of spending time with Quatre was more than appealing; meeting his whole family was less so. 'I don't know, Quatre. Your sister won't want some strange guy gate-crashing her party.'

'Oh, nonsense! She'll want to thank you for saving her birthday.' Huge blue eyes gazed up imploringly. 'Please stay. It's going to be fun. There's a band and fireworks and everything. And I hear there's going to be a wonderful cake, if that's any incentive. Hand-made fondant icing, made by the top pastry chef in Sanque!.'

God, he'd never, ever be able to say no to this guy. 'OK. Sounds good. So long as I get to feed you some of it. Creatively.'

Quatre, charmingly, blushed. 'Well! Maybe not in my parents' house. But I don't live too far away and I believe there might be enough cake left over for us to steal a couple of slices, if you'd like to come back and have some afterwards?'

Trowa lifted an eyebrow at him. 'I'd like that a lot. You're sure you want to invite me home so soon?'

The blush deepened slightly. 'Um. I just thought we could talk a little bit,' Quatre said, flustered. 'I didn't mean…'

'Hey, it's OK.' Trowa bent and kissed the top of his golden head. 'I was joking. That sounds great, really. I loved talking with you on the 'phone the other day; it'll be even better when I can look at you too. And we can plan that dinner we were talking about.' He grinned. 'But of course if you did feel like giving me a goodnight kiss, that would be really be the icing on the cake.'


End file.
